Proposed railroad to bisect state

As part of last year’s economic stimulus package, Connecticut will soon receive 40 million dollars in federal funding to develop a high-speed railroad system to connect New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield, Mass.

This money is part of a larger $160 million investment to build a rail line to connect New Haven, Western Massachusetts, and Vermont.

Connecticut’s Department of Transportation has estimated that this plan will create more than 400 jobs in the state.

“This investment creates double the jobs in Connecticut than if we created a highway or any other means of transportation,” said Jenn Hatch, a ConnPIRG associate.

Hatch said that most investments under the Recovery Act center on transportation.

For the past year, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) has worked closely with the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak to discuss how to move the project forward.

Dodd has worked closely with Gov. M. Jodi Rell, Speaker Christopher Donovan and other legislators to build a strong commitment for this project.

The project will initially create a second train track linking New Britain and Newington, helping to reduce rail congestion between commuter trains and entering freight trains.

“The New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line will transform travel in Connecticut – making rail service better, faster, and more reliable,” said Dodd in a press release.

High-speed rail systems will benefit Connecticut greatly.

It will clean out air, cut energy consumptions, and will be a more efficient way to travel across the state than driving or flying.  It will also assist in the revival of American manufacturing.

Connecticut has been awarded more than $1.8 billion in contracts, loans, and grants from the stimulus, but has only received $500 million so far from the federal government.

The funding has been used mostly in the Hartford area, and has put more than 7,000 residents to work.

“The main goal is to help the local economies here in our own state,” Hatch said.